Death of a Devil
by meg127
Summary: Dante has been having the same dream over and over again. He knows it has to do with his mother's death, but why was he having them? Now there are rumors about a strange shadow. All who get caught in it go completely insane. Is Dante its next target?


**Death of a Devil**

Dante didn't know what to think. He sat lying in his bed staring at the ceiling. Sweat dripped down his brow. He had had that dream again. It was always the same, a black room with a thin sliver of light and his mother's screams. This was the fifth night in a row he had had that dream and each time he had awoken with a yell and covered in sweat.

Dante rolled out of bed and into the bathroom. He splashed his face with cold water and looked at himself in the mirror. He had dark circles under his eyes from not sleeping. Once he woke up he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. He decided to go downstairs and watch TV.

He sat down on the couch and leaned back. He sighed heavily before turning the TV on and started flipping through channels. Eventually he settled on a decent movie he had seen a few times. He was too tired to pay attention, so this was perfect. He didn't remember falling back to sleep.

The phone ringing woke him. He groaned and stood up, stretching his back as he stumbled over to the phone. He picked it up and answered, "Devil May Cry."

"Is this Dante?" a cool voice said on the other end.

Dante rubbed his forehead. "Yeah it is. How can I help you?"

"I have an assignment for you. Reports have been coming in about a giant shadow stalking people down town. Near Second Avenue I believe. Everyone who comes in contact with it goes insane. They say."

Dante grabbed a piece of paper and pencil and wrote down the address. "Does this shadow appear at certain times of the day?"

"No."

Dante groaned. "Alright I'll look into it." he hung up and went upstairs to his room. He grabbed his trench coat and weapons. He smirked as he kicked the front door open and went on into the sunlight. Normally he wouldn't accept such a vague assignment so fast, but he hadn't had any jobs for weeks now.

"Probably just need some action." he said to himself. "The dreams probably just mean I'm bored to tears. And I am." he laughed at his own joke and hopped in his car. He started it up and drove to the location the "shadow" was supposed to be.

The biggest problem with this job is that Second Avenue is very _very _long. He parked the car and got out. He surveyed the area and saw someone he knew. "Nero!" he called and the young demon hunter trainee smiled at him and came over. "Long time no see kid." Dante smirked and punched Nero's shoulder playfully.

"Yeah I know. How've you been?" Nero laughed. They hadn't seen each other since Dante left Fortuna, though Nero had contacted him several times asking for tips. He had wanted to eventually set up his own demon hunting business, but he needed more experience first and Dante was happy to help...with added sarcasm of course.

"I've been…alright I guess." Dante didn't want to tell anyone about the dreams he had been having. "You alright, kid?"

"Me?" Nero grinned. "Yeah! I've been raising money and I think I can open up shop in a few months."

"Good to here." Dante nodded in approval. "Just make sure to name it quick before a bunch of demons come by and destroy it." he smirked, remembering his own experience.

"What?" Nero looked at him confused. Dante just chuckled and started walking. Nero followed him, still confused.

"So, what brings you here, kid?"

"Oh…uh…" Nero scratched the back of his head. "Just…trying to figure stuff out." he said and rubbed his arm. Dante looked at him and nodded in understanding. "But actually I'm here because I heard a rumor about a weird shadow attacking people."

"No kidding. That's why I'm here." Dante replied.

"Well I figured as much! I thought you could use the help."

"Oh I'm sure I can teach you something." Dante smirked.

"Hey I've improved a lot since you saw me last."

"I'm sure."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"Me? Sarcastic? Never." Dante laughed. Nero glared at him for a moment before laughing himself.

"Soooo…." Nero swung his arms. "How do we find this thing?"

"Don't know. I thought maybe I'd just wander around until I found a good pizza shop, then hang out there until I hear anything."

"That's a terrible plan." Nero rolled his eyes. "Hey wait a minute! Where do I come in?"

"You can guard the car." Dante smirked. Nero just glared at him. "Alright fine. Let's split up. You go that way and I'll go this way." Dante pointed. "Meet back at the car in two hours."

Once Nero was out of sight Dante inched into the pizza shop across the street. He hadn't eaten yet that day. He sat down at the counter and ordered the usual. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted someone sitting in a booth looking at him. He came to this pizza shop a lot and new all the regulars and this guy wasn't one of them. The man had a weird aura about him. It wasn't the way he looked, although he didn't look to friendly, it was just _him. _Dante eyed him carefully. He had met people like that before. They weren't people. "Shadow…" Dante whispered under his breath.

The man got up and left the shop, never breaking eye contact with Dante until he was out the door. Dante grabbed his slice of pizza and stuck it n his mouth. He walked out of the shop and went outside. He scanned the crowd and spotted the man turning down the alley. He sped up and turned down the alley. The man was standing there staring at him, smiling. "Dante." he said.

Just that one word and Dante knew it was the same man that called him. He stood there eating his pizza, pausing between bites. "So…you're the guy…the shadow…you called me to…lure me out…big mistake see…I don't….like to be tricked." Dante finished his sliced and wiped his hand on his jacket. He smirked and grabbed his sword.

The man closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again they were pitch black. The entire alleyway seemed to be consumed in darkness. All he could see of the man was a thin outline. Dante switched his sword for his guns and started shooting. The bullets didn't seem to have any effect. "What the hell?" Dante gritted his teeth.

Suddenly there was a flash of light and Dante feel to his knees, holding his head. Images started flashing in his mind. He recognized them instantly. It was his dream.

_ "Dante! Dante wake up!" Vergil shook his brother. Dante groaned and sat up in his bed and yawned._

_ "What is it, Vergil?" Dante moaned. His brother didn't have to answer. He heard a loud shrike coming from down the hall. "Ah! What?" Dante jumped out of bed and the two boys ran down the hall into the living room. There they saw three demons, one holding their mother. Her eyes widened in terror at the sight of her two boys. _

_ "Boys, run!" she yelled before the demon covered her mouth. The other two demons ran at the boys. _

_ "AHHH!" Dante screamed and jumped out of the way. He turned and saw Vergil wasn't as fast. He was struggling in the demons' grip. _

_ "Ah…let…let go of me!" he yelled. Upon realizing he wasn't getting away he turned his attention to Dante. "Dante save Mommy!" he pleaded. Dante just stared at his brother to his mom and back again. One of the demons started coming toward him. Dante started to shake in fear and he ran away, Vergil yelling after him. "DANTE! DANTE! Save Mommy! PLEASE!" Vergil cried and started to struggle again. _

_ The one demon holding his mother laughed at slit her throat. "NOOOO!" Vergil screamed out and went numb. He stared at her body in disbelief, watching the blood pour down her neck. Vergil snarled at the demon. His eyes turned red and he screamed. He released a blast of demonic energy, enough to free him. He landed on the ground and stood up. The two demons fled and Vergil was left alone. He crawled to his mother and cried. _

_ Dante sat in a closet with his head buried in his arms. He had heard his brother scream, but was to scared to leave. He looked up and all he saw a thin light coming through the crack of the door. _

Dante was lying on the ground, staring up at the nothingness above him. He couldn't move. He gapped for air, but could barely breath. Something was crushing him. He then saw the thin outline of the man standing above him, _on _him. "Useless, Dante." he chuckled. Dante tried to move, but it was no use. He was just too tired. He closed his eyes to go to sleep. So tired…

He didn't hear the sound of the man yelling in pain. Nor feel the weight of the shadow lift from his chest. He couldn't even feel it when someone started shaking him.

"Dante! Dante wake up!" Nero cried as he shook him. Finally Dante opened his eyes and saw Nero looking down at him.

"Nero?"

"Are you alright?"

"I…don't know." Dante said and sat up. He looked around the alley. "What happened?"

"That shadow demon he…he caught you. I don't know what he did to you, but you were on the ground crying."

"Mom…"

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." Dante stood up and leaned against the wall. "Give me a minute."

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah."

With much hesitation Nero finally left Dante alone. Once Nero was gone he sunk to the ground and put his head in his hands. He stayed that way for hours.

His cell phone rang and he answered it. "Dante….I see….On my way."

He hung up and put the phone back in his pocket. He slowly stood up and walked back to his car. Some woman had called him with an assignment. Some woman named Lucia.


End file.
